Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (01/29/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	01/29/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	04:27 PM to 05:28 PM	Carroll M.	*
		Lundberg	X
Place:	SCR 356	Mitchell	E
		Morse	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Newell	*
	Senator Boyd	Schultheis	X
		Tochtrop	X
This Report was prepared by		Boyd	X
	Elizabeth Burger
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB09-055 SB09-079		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

04:27 PM -- Senate Bill 09-055

Senator Isgar introduced Senate Bill 09-055. The bill concerns the Family Resource Center Program. The bill removes the repeal date for the program and specifies that a family resource center may apply for and receive funds from the Colorado Works Statewide Strategic Use Fund. Senator Isgar stated that there is currently a prohibition against family resource centers from receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) moneys separate from counties. Several handouts concerning family resource centers were distributed to the committee (Attachments A through C). Senator Isgar responded to questions from Senator Schultheis regarding the source of funding for the Statewide Strategic Use Fund, responding that the fund is funded with federal TANF moneys that are recouped from counties. An amendment, L.001 (Attachment D), was distributed to the committee.

04:33 PM -- Mark Kling, Executive Director, Family Resource Center Association, testified in support of the bill. He stated that the program began as a pilot project in 1993, but that resource centers have since become independent from the state. He noted that there are currently 24 family resource centers in the state. He described the sources of funding for the centers, including federal grants and private donations. The goal of the resource centers is to help low-income families to become self-sufficient. Mr. Kling stated that the centers provide referral services, and utilize a case-management style model where they stay involved with families for a longer period of time. Over 7,000 families received direct services from the centers in the previous year. Resource centers offer various programs, depending upon the needs of the community in which they are located. He testified in support of amendment L.001 (Attachment D).

04:37 PM -- Virginia Howey, Program Director, Family Resource Center Association, testified that family resource centers are beginning to offer evidenced-based programs in order to maximize resources. She stated case management is a core service offered by all family resource centers. She noted that there has been an increase in the need for services since the downturn in the economy.

04:40 PM -- Mr. Kling responded to questions from Senator Lundberg regarding what would happen to the resource centers if they could no longer access public funds. Mr. Kling responded that the majority of public funding for resource centers are federal funds that are passed through the state, and that many of the activities of the centers would have to cease or some of the centers would have to close if public funding ended. Ms. Howey stated that some of the centers charge fees for some services, and are trying to diversify their funding sources.

04:42 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., testified in support of the bill. She stated that counties believe that family resource centers should have an opportunity to receive funding from the Statewide Strategic Use Fund. She responded to questions from Senator Schultheis regarding amendment L.001 (Attachment D).

04:45 PM -- Bridgette Simonis, Community Partnership Family Resource Center, testified in support of the bill. She testified regarding the services that she has received from the center.

04:46 PM -- Kerri Hansen, the Resource Center, testified in support of the bill, and described the services she received from the Resource Center. She testified that the services she receive from the center permitted her to become self-sufficient and that now she is an employee of the Resource Center.

04:49 PM -- Cheryl Nix, Fremont County Family Resource Center, testified in support of the bill, and described the services that she has received from the center.

04:50 PM -- Phyllis Bigpond, Denver Indian Family Resource Center, described the services offered by the center.

04:53 PM

Senator Isgar gave concluding remarks regarding the bill. He reiterated that the centers receive do not receive General Funds.


BILL:	SB09-055
TIME:	04:54:04 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Adopt prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.
	Lundberg
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse
	Newell
	Schultheis
	Tochtrop
	Boyd

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB09-055
TIME:	04:54:21 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 09-055, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a 7-0 roll call vote, with one member excused.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:55 PM -- Senate Bill 09-079

Senator Newell introduced Senate Bill 09-079. The bill concerns contact between birth siblings, post-adoption. She distributed a strike-below amendment to the bill, L.001 (Attachment E). She noted that amendment L.001 permits a person included on a list of confidential intermediaries to access dependency and neglect records upon a motion filed by a former foster care child, 18 years of age or older, who is searching for a birth sibling. In addition, the bill requires the State Registrar to maintain a confidential list of former foster children, 18 years of age or older, who are searching for a birth sibling. If both siblings consent, then contact between the siblings can be established.

05:00 PM -- Adoree Blair, Children's Advocate and representing Bridging the Gap, testified that the bill will allow for compliance with federal requirements related to a database of children who leave the foster care system. Senator Schultheis asked how long the children will remain in the database, and Ms. Blair responded that she did not know.

05:01 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., testified that Colorado Counties has worked on amendment L.001, and is comfortable with the bill as amended by L.001.

05:03 PM -- Maggie Brooks, adoptive parent, testified regarding the importance of contact between siblings who are adopted into different families.

05:06 PM -- Roberta Long-Twyman, League of Women Voters, testified in support of the bill, stating it is important for children to maintain contact with their birth families.

05:08 PM -- Leslie Zetterstrom, Colorado Confidential Intermediary Services, offered to answer committee questions.

05:09 PM -- Christie Donner, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Commission, testified that many children are separated from their families because of a parent's incarceration. She stated that she was disappointed to see that amendment L.001 would apply the bill's provisions only to adult adoptees, and not minor children. Senator Newell stated that, on a voluntary basis, the parents of adoptive children can use the process outlined in L.001 to establish contact between minor children, as long as both sets of adoptive children are included on the registry.

05:11 PM -- Pamela Clifton, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Commission, testified regarding her family's experiences with foster care and adoption due to her incarceration. She stated that the bill can help children maintain contact with their birth siblings.

05:16 PM -- Sarah Ehrlich, Office of the Child's Representative, testified in support of the bill and amendment L.001. She stated that the bill was based on a similar program in Arizona. She testified regarding the importance of maintaining sibling relationships, and stated that the bill builds on previous legislation regarding relationships between siblings who are in foster care.

05:18 PM

Senator Newell gave concluding remarks regarding the bill.


BILL:	SB09-079
TIME:	05:19:15 PM
MOVED:	Newell
MOTION:	Adopt prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.
	Lundberg
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse
	Newell
	Schultheis
	Tochtrop
	Boyd

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

05:19 PM

Senator Newell responded to questions from Senator Carroll regarding why the bill was narrowed to allow only adult adoptees to search for birth siblings. Committee members commented on the possibility of amending the bill to establish a process to allow minor children to have contact with birth siblings who are adopted into different families.


BILL:	SB09-079
TIME:	05:19:54 PM
MOVED:	Newell
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 09-079 to the Committee of the Whole, as amended. The motion passed on a 7-0 roll call vote with one member excused.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:25 PM

The committee recessed.